STRIVING THROUGH STRUGGLES
by ajwa
Summary: she is cocky, stubborn, talented in ways more than one. However, behind that cold exterior she is kind and caring and wants to be rescued. Her mother is charming, but is it a pretence or the real her.she is 12 and is confused as a boy.
1. Chapter 1

Striving Through Struggles

Living the life of fame is a struggle for the one named Echizen Ryoma. Her own gender ask for a marriage proposal and all the men want to be her, unknown to them it should be the other way around, the men should ask for the marriage proposal and the girls should try to befriend or try to be her. Known as one of the top teen singers with her albums kept by all the teens through time and the best tennis player beside from the Samurai Nanjirou or should I say her father. All this confusion is caused by the fact she acts and dresses like a guy.

Ryoma doesn't know the meaning of actually even caring about what people see her as, to her it's enjoying the world as she views meaning that nothing matters as long as she is doing what she loves. She's cocky, but kind and caring in her own essential way, surprisingly she's obedient towards her elders, well the ones she completely trust without any hesitations. She speaks her mind and heart which is completely not what many do and has you could say trouble remembering people's name. no matter what the situation cost for she protects those she holds dear in her heart and would go through any obstacles.

Beside the point Ryoma returns to the hometown of her parents to which she had never visited, since she has always lived in the united states and only spoke English, but it didn't mean that she didn't know the language of her parents hometown. In fact she spoke it fluently just like she spoke English. With her family by her side they leapt and climbed the stairs to the plane and headed to Japan.

"Ryoma chan I know you will love it there and you'd also be attending the school that your father use to attend when he was a junior" Her mother Rinko explained.

Ryoma was listening if you would say snoring was listening then yes in fact she was listening to what her dear mother was speaking of. Finally when her mother realized what kind of situation she was having she chuckled to her self and chatted with the ones that had the decency to stay awake and share jokes.

After the plane landed nobody bothered to wake their little girl and Ryoga carried her to the taxi and headed towards the shrine that they would be staying at. But it wasn't much of a time before the followed her and all laid down not even bothering to sleep in their rooms or even a couch that was much comfortable than a floor.

When morning struck the whole family awoke minus one. Everyone packed and ate their breakfast not even bothering to wake their youngster. Finally until Nanjirou spoke.

" can someone explain to me why she is still asleep and we are awake when she slept before we did, I really don't understand her…….. But I am so proud" Nanjirou spoke

" Nanjirou, she just had a tournament and a concert give the girl a break even though I am as well proud of her" Rinko explained

" Even though I am gonna go wake her up, I am bored besides she starts school tomorrow. I want to show her around the sites of Japan and try isolating her from her fame life." Ryoga spoke considerately.

You could say Ryoga is the overprotective brother who is also her manager for both success. He is the one who plans her schedule for concerts and interviews so you could say he knows exactly how much she goes through with her little body of hers. Even though he always tries to reduce her work, but it seems that there is always more to do instead of less. Ryoga is very close to his sister that some people might even mistake him for Ryoma's overprotective boy friend.

After waking her up, she dressed up ate and they both headed out the door, first by Ryoma's choice the went to eat food at a Sushi bar. The restaurant was packed full mostly the people seemed like juniors, but older than her, they ordered their food and sat down eating. Without any more minute Ryoma finished and asked for seconds by now everyone in the restaurant was looking at her. Through their lives Ryoma is known as a boy because not just of how she dresses but also how she acts.

"Ryoma you are not the one who is paying can't you be nice to your older brother and seize eating like a mongrel?" Ryoga pleaded

"Mongrel, you are the one who said that you'd take me out so stop whining. This sushi Besides I am hungry. Mada mada dane aniki." Ryoma replied

Everyone was listening to the exchanges and couldn't help smiling. Only the look of amazement was written on their faces as she moved towards the sushi man( I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE HIM) and sat at the stool ordering again.

"Ne sempai. Can I have more Aniki will pay for more." The teen chuckled and gave Ryoma his order "

"why are you calling someone you just met sempai. And who said I will pay?" Ryoga asked astounded who was right behind her back.

"I d..I..d." she replied while munching on her sushi

" **Hoy don't decide that by yourself**, and stop eating with your mouth full." Ryoga almost screeched. "Ne why'd you call him sempai any way." he continued

After finishing her sushi she looked at the guy in front of her and then looked her brother dumbstruck. " Ne Aniki are you getting dumber or is it just me, you can see that sushi sempai isn't that older than me he's probably a third year in junior high, Anata Baka Desu B.A.K.A." she chuckled at him continuing with torture your big bro plan, it was always amusing watching her brother get embarrassed and angry quiet the same. But what she didn't expect was the whole restaurant barking in laughter. It was even better than she had hope except her brother was smiling down on her and ruffled her hair, completely not part of the plan.

" _Ryoma stop being so embarrassing, everyone is looking at us_" Ryoga spoke in English

" _Aniki I am not embarrassing you always over react over the simplest deals, besides I always act like this and you know that. So if you knew I was going embarrass you, even though I was actually going for humiliation, why did you ask me to come with you. Besides the point who cares what other people think I came here to eat not to be provoked by the fact that people looking at us. I still don't get why we are speaking English, there are mostly students and I am pretty confident that they at least know what we are talking about. If you don't feel at ease let's get out of here. I think I saw a vending machine down that corner, may be you can buy me Ponta?_

" Ryoma you never really change. Arigatou gozaimasu" Ryoga thanked the guy that Ryoma nicknamed 'sushi sempai'

"Hai hai arigatou Sushi sempai, your sushi omoshi desu. The best I have ever tasted and I have tasted a lot." she thanked waving and left

"Ne Ryoma are you drunk or something, today you spoke more than usual. Or do you just like sushi that much.?" Ryoga asked concerned

" I did talk didn't I. I didn't have enough rest I wonder why?. Speaking of which I am really sleepy."

" Stop joking around you just woke up and **you've slept over more that twenty four hours**. I don't think anyone sleeps that much" what they didn't know was that they were just outside of the restaurant and they could be heard,

" What weird customers!"

"How can he eat that much ? What if he gets a stomach ache " said teen who was worried like a mother

"He even eats more than Momo chan nya" red headed said

" Saa interesting."


	2. Chapter 2: Meet Fuji Shuusuke

Striving Through Struggles

CH2: Meet Fuji

The school was awfully quiet when she neared it, it seemed so peaceful that she might actually like it. Unfortunately it busted out into an awfully loud school, she totally misunderstood it. Long haired, short haired. Short, tall, glasses and no glasses, all kinds of everyone passed by her. It wasn't really knew to Ryoma to be surrounded by so many students, however she never really had been encircled by so many Japanese pupils.

She entered her homeroom class and sat on an empty chair and began snoring her first few minutes in class. People began to come in to class after the first bell and passed by this sleeping form.

" who is that guy?"

" Why the hell is he sleeping, class didn't even begin."

" how lazy."

" why is a freshman in here?" they all inquired

Everyone sat down when the teacher entered class and started walking towards his desk when he noticed the sleeping form.

" I guess you are the new student." he thought out loud.

The teacher woke Ryoma up and politely asked if he could wake up and introduce himself to his new friends. Ryoma walked up to the front of the class as he rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes.

" Echizen Ryoma pleased to meet you" Ryoma announced as he stifled a yawn and continued to rub her eyes again.

" Ka…Kawaii.

She went back to her seat without sprouting another word out of her 'talkative ' lips. Ryoma glanced outside through the transparent windows and also keeping a close ear toward what the teacher taught for the day just in case he taught something that she didn't know already.

It might be quiet surprising, however Ryoma always listened attentively to the lessons any elder gave out; just out of respect. Sometimes some teachers would see the fact that she was looking outside and take it that she wasn't listening, despite that this teacher knew it somehow that she was indeed paying attention and was glad for that.

Now and then he would have his doubts and ask a question that relates to what he had already taught and when the others wouldn't answer or goofed around, he would pick on Ryoma and she would answer it exactly the way he taught it to the class. Now studying with the seniors; Well, lets say that she receives admiring glares. Uhhh, glares that are admiring, you don't see those these days.

Of course the teacher enjoyed having one of those students who made him feel that it was right to get up early in the morning and drive here to teach them something that will benefit both of them.

" Okay, we have discussed this and it also relates to how to find the length and angle of similar triangles. Can someone inform me as to what CPCTC stands for?" the teacher inquired.

The class became aghast of silence, the teacher searched around until his eyes landed on a sleeping form of Echizen Ryoma. _"guess he's not always going to look outside." _he thought.

" I guess Ryoma fell asleep, Fuji would you mind answering the questions? Please"

" Ie, CPCTC stands for Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent, I think I am right sensei" answered the third year known as Fuji Syouske.

When class was over they all rushed out leaving their dust behind. Everyone cleared out except two exceptional geniuses . The teacher was part of the last students who left the class beside Echizen and Fuji. Fuji watched Ryoma sleep for a while and wondered to himself what was about this kid that made him so interesting.

Yes, Fuji knew that there were a lot of people he was intrigued with to finding more about, like why Kikimaru was always so hyper and why Tezuka always had on a serious face.

Nevertheless, it was weird, from the three days they have been in class together the boy hadn't spoken to anyone even though the girls flocked themselves on him nor did he realize it. He did also know that he had met her before in Kawamura's Sushi shop; well not meet her, but he saw her there. Before he could go any deeper with his thoughts Fuji decided that he should wake him up since it was already time to head home.

He walked closer to Ryoma and began shaking him " Ryoma, it's time to get up."

" Ryoga; if you don't leave me alone you are going to lose that hand!" came Ryoma's hoarse and irritated voice,

_Who is Ryoga?_ Fuji asked himself, but chuckled when he heard the threat and decided to try and wake the boy up, yet keep some safe distance between them just in case. He took out his pencil and poked it with her once, twice and the third time it snapped.

"why won't you leave me…" Ryoma stopped when she saw the unknown person who woke her up and who wasn't Ryoga. " E…eto who are you?" she asked slightly flushed by what had occurred.

Fuji chuckled at Ryoma's discomfort. " class is over and I think it's time to head home." he told her.

" You still didn't answer my question, who may you be?" _how cocky _Fuji thought.

"Fuji Shuusuke, nice to meet you. You are Echizen Ryoma right, I am in your class, this one and you fell asleep in class so I had to wake you up." he explained.

" humph, domo arigato" Ryoma gave her thanks and they both headed out the door.

They walked in silence for a little and then Ryoma began searching through his backpack and took out his pencil and held it towards Fuji. " Gomen I broke your pencil, so you can have mine." she explained pulling her cap down.

" It's okay, either way I knew you would break it." he whispered the last part softly to him self.

' Ie, take it or I don't like owing someone anything will keep feeling guilty." Ryoma insisted

Fuji extended his hand and grabbed the pencil from Ryoma. _he's prideful alright,_

" Arigato" he thanked as he kept on smiling at the interesting boy.

Silence never bothered Ryoma, actually she enjoyed it. To her it was peacefulness, but somehow it didn't sit well with her to not.

" do you know where the Tennis club is?" Ryoma finally broke the silence.

"yes, by any chance are you headed there?" Fuji asked back out of curiosity.

" If I wasn't why would I ask you?" Ryoma muttered.

" Saa, I will show you the way." He replied chuckling inside. He heard a whisper of gratitude from the boy.

In a tennis court a little far away from where our two geniuses strolled, the tennis team resided some running, some stretching, some picked balls while others either swung their rackets from left to right. While

Five masculine and handsome boys part of the Seigaku regular; who wore jerseys with SEIGAKU written on the back held a practice between each other. Each hit the ball back to the opponent with complete ease.

" I wonder where Fujiko is, uhh?" asked Kikimaru asked hitting back the ball into the basket just like all the regulars were doing for practice.

" I saw him this morning, Fuji sempai is never late. This is weird." added Momoshiro hitting the ball that came his way back to the basket exactly like Kikimaru.

" Momo, Eiji, pay attention your steps are getting slower." yelled Oishi as he hit yet another ball towards his team mates for practice so that. Each time the ball accelerated either faster or stronger. " Oops, I hit too high!" he exclaimed. Everyone turned towards where the ball they were supposed to hit back travelled to.

" Aah, Fuji sempai, Fuji, Fujiko is here!" they all said together.

" But who is the kid with him, another freshmen is joining us." the others whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

"I believe this ball belongs to you." Fuji spoke lightly as he strolled his way towards his team mates.

"Fuji, why aren't you in your uniform." you can never tell if Tezuka was irritated or any think, because our dear buchou always wore the same expression on his so called face.

"Gomen Tezuka, but I was helping this kid from my class, he seems to not know his way around. Ryoma Kun, here are the Tennis Team." Fuji explained. He could swear that the boy grumbled about him being calling a kid 'who are you calling Ryoma kun and kid'.

" Fujiko, this little Ochibi is in your class?" spoke Kikimaru who was bewildered.

" How can a little boy, be in Fuji Senpai's class!" asked Momoshiro

_Why do these bastards keep calling me little? _Fuji senpai quickly read what the boy was thinking and chuckled.

" Ryoma _kun_ this is our Buchou Tezuka if you want to speak with him this is the time. I will go change into my uniform." Fuji dismissed himself.

Ryoma didn't really know how to begin the conversation when surrounded by so many infuriating people, so she just said what had to be said.

" I am Ryoma Echizen, I turned in my Registration form already and for some reason Ryuzaki Sensei sent me hear." he spoke in her nonchalant tone.

His nonchalant tone brought all their attention on him, all of their eyes fixated on him. Something she didn't really mind, because she was used to attention. Without anymore time to waste they asked him to practice with the other freshman not that he was a freshman.. She began with stretching her leg and arm muscles, then did sit ups with the help of another team member, then did push ups. Additionally she did fifty swings of the racket with each hand. In the end she began collecting balls that were used by their senpais. Ryoma unlike kids her age always had a sense of responsibility and never complained when asked to do something by her elders if of course they appeared respectful. Which Tezuka Buchou gained in a millisecond.

After the club ended she changed back into her uniform and left saying goodbyes to her team softly. The regular members kept watching her, because she was walking right in front of them. In fact they were curious as to why the kid only changed her shorts. Well it wasn't that they were stalking her, but their homes were closer to each other. All of a sudden a sports car stopped in front of Echizen and a man came out of the passenger seat. He held similar features to Echizen, very handsome. The Man who could have been only two years older than them approached Echizen and began cupping her cheek. They could hear them talking.

" You seem tired, do you want me to give you a ride?" He asked

" Are you heading home or do you have another meeting? She asked looking at his tired face.

" No, but I could drive you back." He offered again

She sighed, she knew he would be late, besides he was always nothing but, very considerate and kind of her. He was always the one who stood by her every time she had either a concert preparation or being invited to a talk show.

" Don't bother, just go." she declined

" Ha ha, so cocky"

"No it isn't anything like that, my legs could use the exercise and it really is a beautiful day outside. So don't worry about it and go ahead. After all it is my fault that you have to attend that annoying meeting."

They finally became aware of the students who were nearing them, so Ryoga just ruffled Echizen and departed the scene. Momoshiro, Kikimaru, Fuji and Kawamura all walked up to Echizen. Kikimaru was the first to approach him or if you can hugging someone until they are out of breathe approaching, then yes he did. " Ochibi is so cute "

Kawamura and Momoshiro tried to release the poor kid out of their senpai's grasp. " Senpai I think he gets it. So let go of him before he becomes a corpse." Momoshiro remarked. Finally released Echizen's leg gave out, while coughing really hard.

" Gomen, Gomen. Ochibi I just got too excited." He apologized as he helped Echizen get up from his sitting position.

" It's okay. Demo what do you want Senpai's?" he inquired

They all looked each other surprised by the boys straight forwardness and then softly chuckled. " We were thinking if you wanted to join us. We are heading to Kawamura senpai's sushi shop." Momoshiro explained

" it's not really my shop, but my father's" Corrected Kawamura

Momoshiro made a snorting noise, " Che, who cares still you are going to be the one to inherit it."

Fuji seeing that Echizen was already walking away tried to take the chance of speaking with Echizen as he caught up. Remembering that he got a reaction from the boy last time he called him _KUN_, he tried doing the same thing again.

" Ryoma _Kun, don't you know that it is rude to walk away from your senpai's." He smiled his usual when the boy suddenly stopped and glared at him._

" _eh" that was it. That is all poor Fuji received from the boy. However, just this time Fuji let it be and quietly walked with the boy as they neared the lake._


End file.
